Friday, October 23, 2009

Wild Humans for Sale

Gogol Bordello, Live from Axis Mundi, SideOneDummy Records

Be Donald Trump or be an anarchist.-- Gogol Bordello, "American Wedding"

A few weeks ago, I reviewed an Otis Redding starter kit, ShoutFactory's The Best: See & Hear, a CD/DVD set. Live from Ax-is Mundi serves a similar purpose for Gogol Bordello, even ifthe 11-track CD consists of radio sessions, outtakes, and demos,while Redding's consists of studio-recorded hit singles (in thiscase, "finishing kit" might provide a more applicable term).

Though the New York City-based nine-piece doesn't other-wise have much in common with the late Georgia soul sing-er, they're also known for their intense live performances.

Like moustachioed singer andguitarist Eugene Hütz, whohails from the Ukraine, mostof the band immigrated fromEastern Europe and Israel.Since 1999 and over thecourse of four full-lengths,Roma-style violin and accor-dion have provided a base forhis impassioned, heavily-accented vocals as guitars crunch and drums pound (as an actor, the charismatic Hütz has appeared in Everything Is Illuminated and Madonna's Filth & Wisdom).

On fan favorite "Trouble Friends," from 2005's Gypsy Punkssessions, the nonet adds washboard—or something that soundsjust like it—to their arsenal, while on "You Gave Up (Roumania),"recorded for BBC's Radio 1, the guitar-shredding could put Met-allica to shame. There's a sense that if it sounds good, they'll tryit, hence the Afro-beat horns that decorate "Immigrant Punks,"which recalls nothing so much as Combat Rock-era Clash.

Never having seen the band before, the DVD offers my firstexposure (by proxy). It captures Gogol Bordello in two sold-out concerts at NYC's Irving Plaza in 2007. In their goulash ofworlds both old and new, they provide an Eastern Bloc answerto the whiskey-soaked Pogues, except Hütz seems more, well,focused than Shane McGowan...for lack of a better word.

As on the CD, the showstopper is the sinuous "Mishto!," even ifthe accordion player goes a little off-pitch. The musicians seemto have the most fun playing the number, which comes on likeDeVotchka fronted by a more rambunctious vocalist. The restof the DVD contains extra live tracks, videos, and featurettes.

Sweaty fun for the whole extended clan, Live at Axis Mundialso works as a sort of thriller: Will Hütz's low-cut jeans stayon or not? (You'll have to watch for yourself. I'll never tell.)

Cosmo Jarvis, self-titled, Wall of Sound Recordings

Wild humans for sale, but the souls will cost you extra.-- Cosmo Jarvis, "Wild Humans"

Musically, 19-year-old New Jersey multi-instrumentalist Cos-mo Jarvis (née Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan Jarvis) recalls OfMontreal; vocally, he recalls former Pulp member Richard Haw-ley. Lyrically, the situation become cloudier, because Jarvislikes to sing about young actresses, Toy Story 2, and whateverelse strikes his fancy. Of British and Armenian descent, Jarvis haswritten 250 songs, produced 100 recordings, and directed 40short films. I could do without a few of his more adolescent lyrics,but can forgive most anyone who adds stand-up bass to the mix.Recommended to fans of MC 900 Foot Jesus and the Streets.

Joel Plaskett, Three, MapleMusic Recordings[4/21/09]

It's a long, long way to Winnipeg.-- Joel Plaskett, "Wishful Thinking"

For the most part, Halifax native Joel Plaskett, who was 33-1/3years old when he recorded Three, has his own sound, but attimes he brings Steve Earle, the Band, and a few other insurgentcountry acts to mind (to swipe a term from Bloodshot Records).So it comes as little surprise that he laid down the tracks on thisset in the US and Canada, specifically Ontario, Nova Scotia, Tex-as, and Tennessee with Doug Easley (Tav Falco's Panther Burns).

As a singer, Plaskett isn't as distinctive as Earle or Levon Helm, but his voice is easy on the ears; comfortable and conversational, like a friend sharing stories rather than a troubadour trying to impress (to that list, the AMG adds Gram Parsons and Jeff Buckley).

Similarly, Plaskett's sixth CD, with or without the Emergency,is an easygoing listen with electric and acoustic guitars, penny whistles, and fiddles, lending the proceedings a Celtic vibe. Thereare no duds, but three discs is still a bit much. I never got boredor irritated, but my mind wandered at times, which isn't a badthing, just a sign that a shorter set might've been sufficient.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

I've Got Dreams to Remember

Otis Redding, The Best: See & Hear, Shout Factory!

I can't do what 10 peopletell me to do, so I guess I'll remain the same.-- Otis Redding, "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay"

Any music collection without an Otis Redding record, let alonea Redding song on a compilation or soundtrack, is woefully incom-plete. Granted, not everyone is into R&B, but some artists, likeElvis or the Beatles, transcend genre conventions, and I see noreason why rock and pop fans who don't normally listen to soulwouldn't appreciate Otis, particularly his brass-blasted cover ofJagger and Richards' "Satisfaction," which doesn't hit the sweetspot quite like Stevie Wonder's version of Lennon and McCart-ney's "We Can Work Out," but offers its own unique pleasures.

As Richie Unterberger points out, in his All Music Guide biography, the 'Stones, in turn, would cover Redding's"That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Pain in My Heart."

There isn't a soul aficionado alive who isn't familiar with Redding,so there's no point in preaching to the choir. Granted, some pur-ists believe that crossover automatically equals sellout, but that's only fair when an artist compromises their integrity to reach a wider audience, and I'm not aware that Redding ever acted against his artistic impulses to attract white listeners. The proof lies in the fact that old fans didn't abandon him when he appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival or when Top 40 embraced "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," the chart-topper released in the wake of the plane crash that took his life. A great song is a great song.

The Best: See & Hear operatesas a Redding Starter Kit with a 12-track CD and a 12-track DVD. Theformer includes the expected sing-les, including Lowell Fulson's"Tramp" with Carla Thomas, whilethe latter captures Redding in 1967,at Monterey and as part of a Euro-pean Stax/Volt tour with Booker T.and the MG's and Sam & Dave, whoperform some of their own sides.

I've been listening to the CD non-stop since I received it a fewweeks ago, and although it's tempting to proclaim Redding thegreatest soul singer of all time, I can't do that in good conscience,not when I feel similarly about Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye. Allthree died way too young, and under the most tragic of circum-stances, but when I listen to Redding at his best, I find it easy toforget all that: his warm and wonderful voice will live forever.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Movie of the Month: Part 11

I recently reviewed the following film for Video Lib-rarian, and thought the results were worth sharing.

ENDGAME[***1/2](Pete Travis, UK, 2008, 109 mins.)

An all-star cast populates this historical thriller about op-positional figures who find common ground for the better-ment of their country. While Clint Eastwood’s upcoming bio-pic, Invictus, focuses on Nelson Mandela (played by Mor-gan Freeman), Vantage Point director Pete Travis spot-lights South Africa’s lesser known political players.

delegate Thabo Mbeki (Redbelt’s Chiwetel Ejiofor), and con-cludes with the release of imprisoned ANC leader Mandela (The Wire’s Clarke Peters), paving the way for the democracy to come.

In looking out for his company’s best interests, Young seeksto help dismantle the nation’s racist infrastructure, seeing itas a mutually beneficial outcome (Derek Jacobi plays hissupervisor). In the process, he recruits Afrikaaner philos-

ophy professor Will Esterhuyse (Oscar winner William Hurt) to lead the talks between the two sides.

From the start, however,Mbeki makes it clear that heenvisions a return to majori-ty rule rather than a power-share. Though sympathetic,Esterhuyse fears that this willlead to widespread retaliation

for decades of discrimination. As they come to trust each oth-

er, a way forward emerges, despite the attempts by President

P.W. Botha (Timothy West) and National Intelligence Service

agent Dr. Niel Barnard (Mark Strong) to discredit Mbeki.

Originally broadcast on Britain’s Channel 4 in May (to surprising-ly low ratings), Endgame airs in the US as part of PBS’s Master-piece Contemporary series (and in a limited theatrical release).Travis and Milne do a fine job in recounting an important stor-

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Imagine: just a couple of months ago you were in my testicle,now you are screaming and crying and making a spectacle.-- "Baby" (Prince Zimboo)

Following up on his fabulous Top Ranking collaborationwith Santigold, mixer, producer, disc jockey, and Mad De-cent honcho Diplo (Yank Wes Pentz) unites with Switch(Brit Dave Taylor) for a dancehall-oriented throwdown.

Santi returns to contributevocals to the ringing, buzzing,spaghetti western-infusedopener "I'll Make Ya." Otherthan her and Amanda Blank,who appears on the X-rat-ed "What U Like," one of theweaker tracks, the remaining17 vocalists are new to me.

Bearing such sprightly handles as Mr. Lex, Ms. Thing, Future Trouble, and Turbulence, they rap and toast over dub, dance beats, and some of the world's most inventive sound effects.

Recorded at Jamaica's legendary Tuff Gong Studios, where BobMarley did his best work, the resulting 13-track record recalls everyone from Madness to UB40 to the Beastie Boys (see Mr. E-vil and Mapei's cartoon cannibus tribute "Mary Jane"). I coulddo without the Kanye-style autotune vocals on "Keep It Goin'Louder," but otherwise recommend this instant party jam.

About Me

I write about popular music and film and the relationship between the two. I'm Irish on one side, Italian on the other—British on both. I was born in Connecticut (Far From Heaven), raised in Alaska (Northern Exposure), and I've lived in Seattle, WA (Trouble in Mind) since 1988.